PARKING GUIDANCE Chapman does not have a dedicated parking lot for families arriving by car. Close street parking is fairly easy to find if you arrive before 7:45 a.m./2:00 p.m. and gets increasingly difficult every minute after that. The bus lane takes up all parking spaces on NW Raleigh along the north side of school. Parking availability may be subject to outside factors like the number of visitors at Wallace Park on a beautiful day. A few times a year, street cleaning, leaf removal or TV /film crews will affect parking availability. You will usually receive advance notice of those events from the office.

DROP-OFF LANE ETIQUETTE The car drop-off/pick up lane is located on NW Pettygrove and extends down about half a block to the fire hydrant. When using the drop-off lane, please observe the following guidelines in order to keep traffic flowing and everyone safe:

There is no staff escort from the drop-off lane. (Kindergarten parents should park away from the drop-off lane and escort your student into the building.)

Drive slowly and keep an eye out for pedestrians. Children might not move predictably around cars and are often out of your line of sight.

Drivers must stay at the wheel. If you need to help your child get out, or need extra time to unload large school projects, etc, please park away from the lane.

After you have dropped your child off, please promptly exit the lane. This is a courtesy to parents who are waiting behind you and helps prevents safety issues caused a back up of cars.

If you are picking a child up and cannot stay at the wheel, please park away from the lane and pick your child up from their designated dismissal area.

How do I add money to my child’s lunch account?

PPS uses www.schoolcafe.com for online lunch payments. Set up an account using your student’s ID number. Money or a check can be delivered directly to the cafeteria. Online payments assess a 5% fee. In person payments do not assess a fee.

How do I pay for school supplies, field trips, other misc. payments?

PPS uses www.schoolpay.com for school supply, field trip, and other misc. payments. You will need to set up an account using your student’s ID number. You can also bring money or a check to your student’s teacher.

Round Up is a time when our students come together as a group and share music, skits, and information.

When: Every Friday, 8:00 am

Where: Auditorium (the first Round Up of the school year is traditionally held on the turf, weather permitting)

Where do I find my student’s ID number and what is this number used for?

Each student’s ID number is on the paperwork that is sent home at the beginning of the school year. If you didn’t record it you can always call the office and they can look up your child’s number. Student ID numbers are attached to lunch accounts as well as payments for field trips and school supplies. Your child will use this number throughout their PPS school career.

What is the best way to get information about what’s going on at school?

There are two main ways to stay in the loop. The first is to read the Chimney Flyer, which is the school’s weekly email newsletter. The other is to explore this website and sign up for the blog updates by email, especially if you are not on social media. Our liveliest parent discussion happens on our Friends of Chapman Facebook page and you can also follow us on Twitter @ChapmanPDX. Beyond that, it’s important to know that your fellow parents are very helpful (and we were all “new” once too!) so reaching out in-person on the playground, at pick up, or by volunteering are all great ways to keep up on the latest.

If you’d like the add the district calendar or aren’t sure how to sync a calendar here is the district link and instructions.

Volunteer. Teachers will let you know about classroom-specific opportunities and most of the school-wide volunteer opportunities are here.

What is the daily schedule like?

The schedule for each teacher varies. Back to School Open House is a great opportunity for learning the daily schedule. If you miss this event, your classroom teacher can provide a daily schedule.

How does snack work?

Each teacher manages their snack needs differently, but they all rely on parents to bring communally shared snacks. If your child has an allergy be sure to share that with the teacher so that snacks can be purchased accordingly.

How much time do kids get for lunch? Are there lunch assistants?

Students are given 20 minutes for lunch. There are multiple school staff in the cafeteria. Parent volunteers are always welcome and appreciated.

What is the difference between an Educational Assistant (EA) and a Para-educator (Para)? And are any of these people in my child’s classroom?

Educational Assistants (EA) are staff members that provide support to certified teachers; leading reading groups, assisting students with classwork, recess supervision, lunch supervision, and much more. EAs are typically funded by Friends of Chapman (funds raised by Chapman).

Para-educators are hired to work specifically with one or two students that need extra support. While they often provide support to the teacher, their main focus is the student that they work with. Para-Educators are funded by PPS.

How are students dismissed after school?

Every student should have their after school plan recorded with their classroom teacher. Classroom teachers will release students according to the designated plan.

How do I sign my student out early?

Any student leaving early must be signed out in the office. Check in with the office staff and they will call your student to the office.

Who do I call if my student is going to be absent?

Attendance 503-916-3619.

When is the auction and should I attend?

The annual Chapman School Auction is the biggest fundraiser of the year and generally happens in the Spring. The night includes a silent auction (with hundreds of goods and services donated by our local community) and a live auction showcasing one of a kind art projects created by each Chapman class. The auction proceeds support educational programs and additional staffing needs.

This event is always a lot of fun, an excellent way to take part in the parent community at Chapman, and a great way to contribute to Chapman.

What is STEM Night?

STEM night is an open house event organized by a team of parents and teachers. Chapman’s main campus transforms into a STEM wonderland with activities and projects for all grade levels representing different science and math fields. All students and their family members are encouraged to attend and participate.

What is Art Ball/Talent Show?

Art Ball is an open house event where the main campus is transformed into an art gallery featuring our students artwork. There are also art activities throughout the building and a talent show showcases our students’ performing talents. All grades will have featured artwork at the main campus.